The full title of this thread is actually "Predestination and the Parable of the Wedding Feast," as that will be the focus of this discussion. But while I am putting it in the Debate Section, I will respond respectfully and honorably to all who post on this thread. In return, I will hold all participants responsible for the same, and report people if necessary.
With that said, post what you think of the following parable and predestination doctrine in light of it. How do you explain this parable in light of your interpretations on the issue?
Blessings in Christ.
Hidden In Him
The Parable of the Wedding Feast
1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14)
Interpretation:
1. The King is God the Father, and the marriage He was arranging was for His Son and Jerusalem, which was compared to the bride of Christ elsewhere in Revelation 21:2. (v.2)
2. The servants He sent out to bid them to come were the apostles, and later several others in the early church, such as Stephen and James, both of whom were killed by the spiritual leaders among the Jews in Jerusalem. Many would not come but made excuses, while the leadership eventually killed all the apostles but John (v.3-6)
3. So God had Jerusalem destroyed, after they rejected the Messiah, their Bridegroom (v.7)
4. God then said to His servants - leaders in the church - "Go out into the highways and byways and call everyone, both good and bad." By this, He was making a clear reference to preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, some of whom were moral, i.e. "the good," yet many of whom were not, i.e. "the bad." (v.8-10).
5. The wedding is then filled with guests. What needs to be kept in mind, however, is that the Lord goes out to examine the wedding guests BEFORE the wedding, which means this section of the Parable is describing events that will take place before His return when He will rapture the church up into Heaven for the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. And when He comes to examine them, one will be found "without a wedding garment." This is speaking of being clothed in the holiness of Almighty God, and adorned in the Holy Spirit, as is also described as part of the wedding narrative in Revelation 19:8. The man with no wedding garment represents those who will call themselves "Christians" in the end-times yet will not walk in holiness, nor be clothed in the Holy Spirit. Hence they will be cast into outer darkness for falsely pretending to be something spiritually which they are not (v.11-13).
An interesting link on a lavish banquet room excavated recently in Jerusalem that dates to around 20 A.D., just prior to the time when Christ began His ministry, and possibly what He based His parable on:
Archaeologists Unveil 2,000-Year-Old Underground Banquet Hall in Jerusalem
Relevance To The Predestination Question
Now we come to the crux of the matter: Why will those with no wedding garments be cast into the outer darkness and not attend the banquet? In verse 14, He states that it will be because "many are called, but few are chosen."
Now, here are a few of the problems I see this parable present for the Predestination position:
1. Why would God call so many if they were never Predestined to be chosen anyway? He called all of Jerusalem yet they would not come. He then had His apostles call the entire Gentile world, "as many as they could find," yet few have responded to this day. Why call the entire planet if only a few will be chosen anyway?
2. Verse 7 states that God the Father was "furious" when Jerusalem killed the ones He sent to invite them to the wedding banquet, and determined because of it to destroy their city and lay it to waste. Why be angry with them if they merely did precisely as He determined they would ahead of time?
Lastly, let me post why I think the predestination position is potentially harmful to others as a teaching. All are free to respond to these arguments as well. I merely point them out as further reasons for not supporting the doctrine:
- The doctrine of predestination teaches that everyone who is saved was chosen by God before the foundation of the world. Some might therefore conclude that no one can know for sure whether he is saved and will go to heaven. Only God’s chosen ones will be saved, and if His decree of election is a mystery and it is impossible to know if you are one of those who will be saved, this can create a massive amount of insecurity in some people. I see this all the time; people paranoid about whether they are saved or not. So all their attention goes to worrying about the question rather than just applying themselves to seeking to serve God.
- Predestination doctrine lends itself to Fatalism, and can take the air out any motivation to evangelize or depart from sin. Some might think, "I have no need to repent of my sins and trust in Christ. God has predestined me to salvation, so I will be saved regardless of what I do." With others, some might tell themselves, "I have no need to exert myself to call sinners to Christ. He will save those He chooses regardless." Fatalism naturally creates a type of spiritual deadness, and lends itself to backsliding into sin, much to the dishonor of the gospel.
Blessings in Christ to all who respond,
Hidden In Him